The literature review must identify works that have been published on the topic in case by accredited scholars and researchers (Taylor, 2010). Usually, the literature review is an introduction to the research project. The purpose of the literature review consists in introducing the readers into the knowledge and ideas referring to the selected topic for the research project in case, and to help the readers adjust to the research topic. Also, a good literature review should not only list these issues, but also identify and explain their strengths and weaknesses in order for the readers to be able to develop a more clear idea on the researched topic.

As mentioned above, conducing the literature review also helps the author of the research report to develop new directions that the research process can follow. This helps the author to develop more ideas and hypotheses that can be used within the research project. Furthermore, this improves the results that will be presented in the research report.

In order to conduct a good literature review, the author must not limit to identifying works on the topic of the research process in case. Instead, the author should focus on critically appraising the identified works. In other words, the author must analyze each source found on the topic in case in order identify works that are unbiased and suitable for the purpose of the research.

A good literature review must meet a series of requirements. For example, the center of the literature review must be represented by the researched question. The literature review section must directly address the research question. Also, a summary is required in order to clarify the facts that are addressed by literature in that case and the facts that do not make the object...

In many cases, specialists in the field do not agree on certain aspects. Therefore, the literature review presented in the research report must address these controversies.
Also, there are areas that have not yet been sufficiently researched. This means they can become the object of further research. Such aspects must be addressed by the literature review.

Before conducting the literature review, the author must focus on the research question that the literature review intends to define. Also, another important issue that must be clarified by the author refers to the type of literature review that best suits the research project in case. The author may choose from issues of theory, methodology, policy, and others.

The annotated bibliography is quite similar to the literature review. This means it presents the research previously conducted and published on the topic in case. But in comparison with the literature review, the annotated bibliography is more of a summary, focusing on presenting bibliographic information referring to each source used in the research project. Also, each source is briefly described, in order to provide the readers information on the issues they can find when accessing that source.

Reference list:

1. Sridhar, M.S. (2008). Research Methodology. ISRO Satellite Center. Retrieved March 4, 2010 from http://www.scribd.com/doc/1016595/Research-Methodology-Part-3-Research-Design-Plan.

2. Taylor, D. (2010). The Literature Review: A few Tips on Conducing it. University of Toronto. Retrieved March 4, 2010 from http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-of-writing/literature-review.